1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector apparatus using, as a data storage device, a memory card or hard disc drive package and, in particular, to a connector apparatus having a mechanism for ejecting the data storage device from the housing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Published Disclosed Japanese Patent Applications 63-69375 and 63-77280, for example, disclose a connector apparatus for connecting a memory card to an electronic device, such as the personal, laptop type and notebook type computers.
The connector apparatus has a housing for storing a memory card and an ejector mechanism provided in the housing. The housing has a header on the end of the electronic device side and an insertion inlet for inserting the memory card into the housing. The ejector mechanism has a hand-actuatable lever projecting from the side portion of the housing.
When the memory card is inserted from a socket side via an insertion inlet with the housing of the connector apparatus mounted on the electronic device, the socket of the memory card is fitted to a header of the housing, allowing a electrical connection to be made between the memory card and the electronic device. When the memory card is withdrawn from the insertion inlet side of the housing by actuating the lever of the ejector mechanism, the socket of the memory card is disengaged from the header of the housing, allowing the memory card to be electrically disconnected from the electronic device.
However, since, in the connector device, the insertion inlet of the housing is opened to an outside with the memory card not inserted in the housing, dirt and foreign small particles are liable to be deposited there, suffering an adverse influence therefrom, such as the short-circuiting of the header's connection pins.